


Heart of Glass, Chris/Zach, PG-13

by blcwriter



Category: Star Trek RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-10-11
Updated: 2009-10-11
Packaged: 2017-10-23 11:50:38
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/249980
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/blcwriter/pseuds/blcwriter





	Heart of Glass, Chris/Zach, PG-13

_**Heart of Glass, Chris/Zach, PG-13**_  
So-- [](http://1297.livejournal.com/profile)[**1297**](http://1297.livejournal.com/) is hosting a three little words meme.  And there were prompts.  And I was stuck on my fics.  So I wrote a few little things.

Including [this](http://1297.livejournal.com/20959.html?thread=1474271#t1474271), for the prompt "Heart of Glass," reposted here.  This is so not about the Blondie song that it's not even funny.  
  
\--

Underneath it all, there's a blown-glass heart or maybe a vessel, like the finest wine goblets, something delicate, transparent, full of light and emotion the whole world can cherish or crush, depending on whether they decide to be careful. Like something handmade, there are small imperfections-- thin and thick areas, scars of a sort-- but that's what makes it unique-- what makes Chris unique-- precious. All that art metaphor stuff. The fact is, it's priceless, like all good things are.

It surprises Zach to learn how guarded Chris is, this open-faced blonde Cali boy, but he sees over time that girls come and go and Chris remains not only discreet but utterly silent regarding affairs of the heart. He never admits something is starting, much less that it's finished-- the most he ever says is "I have plans" when Zach's inquiries about hanging out sometimes conflict. Zach only finds out the next day that "plans" involved dinner someplace with a beautiful girl-- or "hanging out" with some male friend-- whatever-- and he only finds out because it's on some gossip site somewhere. Chris never discusses his private life. Ever.

It's only after they start filming _Trek_ and Chris shifts from _nice, friendly guy I met through my trainer who did a great job in Fat Pig_ to pal and buddy and finally _friend_ \-- an accolade Zach bestows carefully since Hollywood's the land of a thousand acquaintances-- that he realizes how little Chris really reveals and decides he needs to dig more. Chris takes each confidence solemnly, never jokes about things you find serious, does all that's right and admirable in a loyal friend-- he just never lifts up his own surface.

And what a surface it is. The beautiful-handsome-as-fuck thing is pretty much secondary to the personality his coworkers get to see-- well-read, always prepared for his scenes, generous with his time when his co-stars want someone to work with, charming when people are being trite shits, funny when people are stressed, caring when people who call him friend are having a good time. His cheap-date intolerance of alcohol and his video game geekery make evenings out charming-- his discipline about exercise and not eating complete crap means Zach actually gets out more than an aspirational (ineffective) once a week for a run. But he very rarely says what he thinks, and when he does, it's only after a longer discussion, Chris taking both sides as he tries to be fair at the outset. They haven't ever badly disagreed, even when Zach has learned he needs to tease out Chris' personal thoughts on the matter at hand, and slowly, Chris says more open things and closes off less when Zach just doesn't agree but still clearly enjoys talking to Chris.

It's a four-leaf clover, horseshoe and every other good luck charm in Zach's favor that he happens to do the unforgivably rude thing of dropping by Chris' one Sunday with Noah to ask him if he wants to come out for a coffee-- he does it simply because he realizes Chris always calls first, makes plans, arranges just about everything-- so when Chris comes to the door, red-eyed and clearly upset about something, Zach is just slightly more prepared for spontaneity and says "Sweetheart, what happened?" because that's what he's thinking right at that moment. (Though he's never called Chris sweetheart aloud-- it's not done in modern bromance.)

Chris pretty much dissolves and Zach (and poor, patient Noah, who ends up hanging out in the yard by himself) guides the man back inside so he can get the whole story, find out who he has to hurt for bothering Chris (and it's no surprise to Zach how he's instantly furious and willing to harm if it'll just make Chris stop crying, the sight is just _horrible_ ), get things more settled. It's a serious enough situation, Chris isn't just being fragile in feeling upset in the first place, but he's so utterly wounded that Zach's more than a bit breathless by the depths to which Chris feels things. He'd never thought Chris was shallow-- he'd just never fully kenned to how still Chris waters' ran. But they figure it out, both together, and Zach's reward is this shy, light-filled, translucent smile that he's never seen on Chris before. It's like the first time he went to Notre Dame and saw the rose window in the full noontime sun-- it's pretty in pictures, but you never know what it's like 'til you're there and you're breathless and can't believe the sun shines as nicely anywhere else.

It still takes a few months before he gets Chris into bed-- the whole time he's less focused on the idea of the actual sex and more on the notion that Chris might finally trust him enough to get literally naked with him. But he does, and they do, and it's stunning, because Chris is no shrinking violet once he's made up his mind, just utterly, totally private. Zach appoints himself the museum guard of Chris' heart, standing sentinel to make sure people don't get too close, set off alarms, breathe on or smear the glass and ruin everyone else's chance to admire-- and Chris lets him, sometimes, even though he's right that as much as he loves Zach-- he said so, aloud-- he's a big boy and has to take care of himself.

But he lets Zach call him sweetheart when he's had a bad day-- doesn't throw Zach out when he starts to leak tears from impossible eyes no painter could capture-- even calls Zach, says "I need you," pulls Zach tight in his arms before he buries his face in Zach's neck-- and every single time is a gift, being the one from whom solace is sought. So when Chris smiles at him, or rolls over in bed and curls around Zach while they're sleeping, Zach's doubly gifted, and he runs gentle hands over thick skin and tough bone because Chris is always fresh-fired, still molten, and utterly clear.

He holds carefully, tenderly, firmly-- he doesn't let go.


End file.
